I’ve never been a huge fan of dwelling on the past. What’s done is done. However, I am a big fan of learning. I’m a huge believer in learning in order to grow. Life is about growth. Growing mentally, spiritually and emotionally are not things most focus on. The crux of personal development comes from evolving who we are as leaders, fathers/wives, entrepreneurs. Sometimes we need to reflect on the past to continue that growth. However, there is a big difference between reflecting and dwelling. Those that dwell on the past unfortunately tend to get stuck there.

So, how do we reflect on the past without getting stuck there? A few years back I came across the concept of the “Debrief” at business conference. The concept involves taking a recent experience, and examining the good/bad/ugly from it. What did we do right? What did we do wrong? How can we improve? Since then, I’ve tried to implement this in most areas of life. This has been especially useful in my business and personal life. It has led to exponential growth both personally and professionally.

June 30, 2014: The day that changed everything

Two years ago today I issued a press release announcing the sale of my IT business, Network Logix. It was a bittersweet day to say the least. The 10 years of blood (sometimes literally), sweat, tears, sleepless nights and many cups of coffee had finally culminated to a conclusion. At least for this chapter. It was on to the next chapter. The next chapter for growth.

Many of you reading this were likely in the room back in April for Robin Robin’s Boot Camp. During one of the presentations, the question was asked whether anyone in the room would like to eventually sell their business. Nearly the entire room raised their hands. This got me thinking.

I’ve always attempted to be as efficient as possible. Learning from others allows me to expedite the process, and possibly side-step any pitfalls along the way. Learning from coaches, mentors and peers has led to exponential growth for myself and many others.

After selling my business, I did a Debrief of what I learned. Boiling this down to just a few items was pretty difficult, as you can imagine. 10 years is a long time, and I could almost write a book about all the adventures. (Stay tuned for that, it’s in the works.) Below are the 7 lessons I learned along the way. I’m happy to share them with you.

7 Lessons I Learned From Building, Growing and Selling My MSP

I sincerely hope that there is at least one thing that you can draw from my debrief. I’d also love to hear how you use past experiences to further your growth as an entrepreneur, parent, father or any other roles you are privileged to play. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Feel free to share this with your network too. I’d be eternally grateful. Have an awesome day!